The drive for more luck and prosperity starts here.
Seeing red everywhere? Yep, Chinese New Year (CNY) is coming soon! Like many people, you might believe that how you usher in the Spring Festival will determine your luck for the rest of the year. And if you are a driver, there are certain CNY car superstitions that you would fervently follow to ensure that good luck and fortune flows.
We look at some of these Chinese New Year car superstitions, and tbh, most of them make a lot of common sense. So let’s rev up for a bountiful year!
1. Spring cleaning the car before Chinese New Year
Spring cleaning is one of the most important CNY traditions. This stems from the belief that it would get rid of bad luck and make room for good fortune to enter the house, or in this case, your car.
Make time to declutter all the junk in your trunk, vacuum the interior and give your automobile a thorough wash. While you’re at it, why not give it a good polish as well. A clean and shiny car looks good, is great for settling the mind, and makes for a more comfortable ride.
But remember to do all the spring cleaning before the first day of CNY. Otherwise, you will be removing any good luck that comes your way during the auspicious period!
2. Put a pair of mandarin oranges on the dashboard
Mandarin oranges and tangerines are considered symbols of good luck. Not only does their “golden” colour represent riches, even the name in Cantonese (kum) sounds like gold.
Put a pair of mandarin oranges on your dashboard, and it signifies that you are welcoming luck and fortune into your car and your life. Displaying Mandarin oranges is also an easy and less in-your-face way to give the car a festive vibe. Plus, if you forgot to bring mandarin oranges for the obligatory exchange when visiting your family and friends, you will have a pair ready on your dashboard!
But Singapore’s weather and the heat trapped inside the car is not great for keeping them on the dashboard for long. Make sure you eat them before they go bad; they do make for a healthy snack.
3. Show some red in the car
For most Chinese, the most auspicious colour is red. It is associated with prosperity and said to attract good luck. That is why red packets (angpows) are given during CNY to spread wealth around.
Having an angpow or an item of red in your car is thus a harbinger of good fortune while driving. Even better if you happen to drive a red car! Some people have been known to include large notes of money in the red packets in the car, all the to better attract bigger fortune. Remember to keep the angpow hidden from plain sight though. You don’t want to attract thieving fingers! If you are not in the mood for such largesse, just have a simple item like a red tissue box in the car instead.
Photo: Freepik
4. Opening the car windows to luck
This superstition comes from the belief that opening the windows at home on the first day of CNY will welcome good luck into the house. This thus extends to the car, a second home for most drivers.
Again with Singapore’s hot and humid weather, this is not exactly the most comfortable thing to do. But we say, wind the windows down for a short while during your drive, especially if the weather is not too bad. Fresh air does you good!
5. Avoid breaking things
Just like sharp objects are a bane during CNY, breaking any item is considered bad luck during the festive period. It signifies a loss of fortune or relationship breakups.
This applies to car breakdowns as well. The last thing you need when driving out to do your CNY visiting is having car trouble. Arrange to have your car serviced early, since most workshops might be closed during the festive period. It’s also a good idea to get your car vacuumed, washed and polished at the same time.
6. Don’t road rage
Parents will typically refrain from scolding their children during CNY. This comes from the belief that your tone of voice during the festivities will set the tone for the rest of the year.
If you are in the habit of swearing at or road-raging fellow motorists when you drive, it’s time to keep a lid on your temper. You wouldn’t want to encounter quarrels and bad relationships further down the road. Keeping calm on the road also ensures a much safer ride for yourself, your passengers and other drivers.
7. Don’t have sharp objects in the car
According to Chinese superstition, using sharp objects such as a pair of scissors on the first day of CNY is not favourable. It is said to cut off one’s luck or fortune for the year.
As you spring clean your car, remove any sharp objects in your car or keep them well hidden. It is safer in the first place not to have any dangerous items lying around, in case you have young children who may pick these up.
8. Avoid driving a black car
At the other end of the auspiciousness spectrum is the colour black. It is a colour often associated with bad luck, especially during Chinese New Year. While younger generations do not view black with as much askance these days, it is still respectful to your elderly loved ones by avoiding ferrying them around in one during the festive period.
But if you own a black vehicle, counteract the negative energy by having lots of red, gold and orange-coloured items in your car. And have that pair of Mandarin oranges on proud display.
To a safe and prosperous year ahead
Whether you believe in these or other Chinese New Year car superstitions, we wish happiness, good health, and abundance to our fellow drivers. Huat ah!
